BERTI Vogts is not, despite delivering the play-off place which eluded every one of his successors, Walter Smith, Alex McLeish, George Burley, Craig Levein and most recently Gordon Strachan, remembered with any great fondness by Scotland fans today.

The German’s two-and-a-half year spell at the helm of the national side was strewn with questionable team selections, abject displays and embarrassing results against the likes of South Korea, the Faroe Islands, Wales, Slovenia and Moldova.

Caps were handed out with carefree abandon to such luminaries as Paul Devlin, Andy Gray, Richard Hughes, Robbie Stockdale and Gareth Williams, players who emerged from obscurity to don the dark blue of this country and returned from whence they came just as quickly afterwards, on his watch.

Yes, Vogts managed to finish second in the Euro 2004 qualifying group and even win the first play-off game 1-0 against the then mighty Netherlands (the less said about the rematch the better) but his time in charge still causes those supporters who were unfortunate enough to bear witness to it to break out in a cold sweat.

Vogts undoubtedly came in at a time of transition and had his difficulties to overcome. Now 70, he recalled in these pages last week how he had implored the Scottish Football Association, as well as the leading clubs here, to overhaul their youth set-ups in order to increase both the number and quality of professionals being produced during his time in this country.

That has since happened. The much-needed changes weren’t implemented in time for him to benefit or, for that matter, anybody who has since followed him in the subsequent 13 years. Going forward, it is to be hoped they begin to make a real difference.

However, since the Vogts era the SFA have never again appointed a foreigner as Scotland head coach. They have erred on the side of caution on all five occasions they have had to fill the position by bringing in seasoned individuals with practical experience of the game here.

That has brought varying degrees of success. But it has also left the distinct impression they have no desire to go down that route again.

Yet, Stewart Regan, the governing body’s chief executive who will be leading the search for Strachan’s replacement should definitely consider going overseas, or even just over the border, in the coming weeks.

The bookmakers’ favourites to take over – Davie Moyes, Malky Mackay, Alex McLeish, Paul Lambert, Derek McInnes and Steve Clarke - all have strengths they would bring to the role and all have their backers among the support.

But none of them is exactly awe-inspiring. Who among them would cause a ripple of excitement to course through the breasts of Tartan Army footsoldiers dejected after another failed campaign and grow excited about the forthcoming bid to reach Euro 2020 if they were un-veiled? Exactly. It would just be more of the same.

It is time for a fresh approach. Just because one outsider unfamiliar with the idiosyncrasies of the beautiful game here and the unique mentality of our players failed doesn’t mean that another won’t be a rip-roaring success in future.

It has certainly not worked out badly at Iceland (who reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 under the expert guidance of Lars Lagerback and have the venerable Swede to thank for qualifying for Russia 2018 even though he is now with Norway) of late.

Moyes, out of work since parting company with Sunderland at the end of last season, told Radio 5 Live last night that he felt the Scotland manager should be Scottish. But he would say that wouldn’t he?

Many disagree. And with good reason. Nationality is irrelevant in the modern game. Sam Allardyce is looking for a job in the international game after standing down at Crystal Palace in May. His track record in the dugout in the past three decades speaks for itself. Guus Hiddink, too, has to prove himself to nobody.

What about aiming high and targeting Jurgen Klinsmann? He has vast experience in international football and is available after parting company with the United States last year. He is one German manager who would be welcomed with open arms at Hampden.